


The Year 105

by onewsangtaeminho



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Eventual Sex, F/M, Force Bond (Star Wars), Mythology - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-04 22:01:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15850242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onewsangtaeminho/pseuds/onewsangtaeminho
Summary: Set years in the future, an orphaned Rey learns of the banishment of the Force by the Third Order. Padawan learner Ben Solo, along with the Resistance, fight against this injustice.Star Wars AU meets old mythology.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> \- Old mythology/Soulmates is mixed into the general plot  
> \- Charactierized OC for the Knights of Ren--not you're not someone who enjoys OC, I wouldn't bother  
> -Ahsoka Tano makes appearances!!  
> -i love comments, compliments, and criticisms!

_"In the beginning, humans were a different form than what we appear as today,” the teacher draws excitedly on her chalkboard, peppered with excitement at the only lesson she relished teaching. “We were originally double what we are!”_

_A young Rey sat at attention at the back of the classroom, practically bouncing in her seat. Of course this story had been whispered around the orphanage where she lived and engrained in every person’s heart from birth, but hearing it from a teacher was proper madness! Everyone knew it was going to be taught today because they split up the girls and the boys into separate classrooms, which Rey didn’t fully understand._

_“We had: two faces, four arms, and four legs! Can you imagine that girls?””_

_“Ewww!” The girls giggled and whispered to each other behind their small hands, cupped to each other’s familiar faces._

_Rey cupped her cherub cheeks in her palms, eyes lit up._

_“But the God of War, Zeus, began to fear our strengths. He feared what we could do with more limbs than him and more manpower. Then his fears were realized as our arrogant ancestors stormed Mount Olympus. Can anyone tell me what he did to prevent this from happening ever again?”_

_Rey knew. She knew he did a bad thing and split people up, but that you couldn’t say anything bad about Gods or you’d get into big trouble._

_She almost raised her hand but another girl beat her to it._

_“He split our bodies apart! He separated one half from the other and that’s why we look like this now!”_

_“Excellent. Now, can anyone tell me what this means for us modern day separatists?”_

_She was fuzzy on the details of this part but was almost certain it had to do with love._

_“When we were whole beings we were born with our soulmate attached to us, but now we have to search for them, no matter how hard it is, because of the bad thing we did to the Gods.”_

_Love, she knew it! She didn’t want to find a boy though, so she got bored and slumped forward in her seat, absently drawing on her notebook._

_“How can you tell?” Little Rosie meekly asked, and her sister gripped her arm in anticipation._

_“You’ll know when you meet your soulmate because inside of you will feel at peace. It is an incredible, and unmistakable feeling. You’ll know when it happens immediately!”_

_“I want to marry Finn!” Rosie shouted, much to her sister’s embarrassment, as she pulled her back into the chair._

_“If one day he turns out to be your soulmate, you can! And it’s perfectly possible for the gods to decide you’re not ready to know if you’re already with your soulmate yet. But girls, mark my words,” she crosses her arms, “do not give of yourself anything to anyone that is not your soulmate, or the Gods will punish your impatience. The people who do? Well…”_

_She unfurls a poster by pulling a metal tab down, the girls gasping._

_“They will be banished to Hades for all eternity_!”

 

______________________________ ♜ ______________________________

At 18, her last year of school and her last year in the orphanage, the story delved deeper.

Of course, they’d already been warned heavily not to give their virginities away before they’d found their true soulmate, but Rey wasn’t particularly interested in any of it anymore; romance wasn’t on her mind.

At the forefront of her mind was, as always, her dubious lineage and the aching loneliness she’d endured after 18 years of living at the orphanage. She wanted an adventure in her life and always felt destined for greater things. She didn’t long for a soulmate; rather a friend, a guide, to show her the ways of the world.

Today was her last class to end her educational career, and the teacher seemed somber.

“Hush down girls, and get in your seats. I know it’s a very exciting day to end your education, but listen to me for the last time.”

The girls all settled about around Rey, who absently looked out the window into the town below.

“We all know our origin story and how we used to be whole beings, but there’s more to the story that you should know.”

And for one second, Rey’s eyes flash towards the front of the classroom curiously.

“Our joined ancestors were androgynes--which means, according to the ancient texts, they had both male and female genitalia.”

Rey watches the confused reactions from her classmates around her.

“But they were too fast, too powerful, and the Gods feared for their omnipotence to be challenged by us. He cut our ancestors into two and ordered his son Apollo to turn our faces towards our wounds--so that we’d be reminded of our place and keep order.”

She erased her lesson on the chalkboard and continued talking.

“But Gods can’t bear to survive without being worshipped, and we were pathetic creatures without our soulmates. We would throw our arms about each other, trying to reconnect in the way we had before. To make us susceptible to worship him again, he had our genitals turned to the front so we could find some pleasure in embracing once more. Before sperm fertilizing an egg, we created life by casting seeds into the ground.

“Upon reconnecting with our soulmates, we began worshipping the Gods for their kindness once more. But the Gods made many rules so that we would never rear our heads in their way again.

“The first rule, the genitals they gave us must remain clean and unused for our soulmates. If you indulge thus so before you meet your other half, the Gods will banish you to the Underworld to serve Hades."

Rey fiddled with her pencil. She’d heard this story thousands of times before, but this was the only time she’d felt even slightly uncomfortable, her eyes plastered on the teacher.

“The second and most important rule: the end of the Force. Those born with the Force will be sought out and killed; the way of the Jedi is no more.”

Rey couldn’t stop herself from curiously exclaiming, “Why?” in front of the class.

“The Force, when trained, is too powerful. The Gods fear humans with the Force perhaps more than they did our full forms. Children born with the Force are immediately killed upon the realization, and adults who harbor it have bounties over their heads. Many years ago, the light side and the dark side of the Force wreaked havoc among the planets and caused the death of millions of innocent people, so the councils amongst the systems were in favor of this rule.”

Rey sat back into her seat, her mind boggling. Somewhere, in the back of her memory, she remembered hearing legends of Jedi that saved the world, and how she’d always held onto the hope that they were real.

“So from today forward, you will all serve The Third Order and alert any government officials if you see any suspicious individuals using the Force or spreading it as propaganda.”

She glanced around the classroom as the other girls nodded happily, with no apprehension to this new adulthood task. She felt frozen in her seat, yet foggily couldn’t pinpoint why.

When the bell rang to commence her final day of school, she felt like she was walking through thick jelly in the hallway; time seemed to be moving slowly around her, an uncertainty building up in her chest. Rose and Paige giggled arm in arm, throwing their hands about in excitement. Ahsoka chatted excitedly with an older classmate, and she seemed sad to see them graduate.

  
“--Rey!”

A hand clasped firmly onto her shoulder and shook her out of her fog.

“You okay? I’ve been calling your name for a while,”

She breathed a sigh of relief at Finn’s voice at her side, and she smiled at him widely as she opened her locker.

“Of course I’m okay, we’re officially done with school!”

“Yeah, can you believe it?” Finn flashed an impish smile at her. “I feel like everything’s about to fall into place.”

She threw her empty soda bottle into the trash cans in the hall and shut her locker, furrowing her brows. She felt the exact opposite.

“Well, I suppose if you’re lucky, everything will come together,” she smiled again, although this time it felt forced.

“Lucky? We’re not the lucky ones.” He looked over his shoulder and stared at several pairs of kids with their hands interlocked. “The lucky ones are the ones who found their soulmates already.”

Rey glanced quickly and watched their fingers lovingly graze against each other’s, and felt a ping of loneliness. She’d never loved anyone, or at least no one had ever loved her.

“Well, maybe you’ve already met them and it just hasn’t been revealed yet.”

Finn stared at her for a moment and then grinned. His eyebrow flicked up, flashing his embarrassment. Rey cringed at her own word choice and pushed some hair behind her ears.

“Oh--no--that’s not what I meant,” Rey waved her hands. “You’re my best friend in the world! That would just be cruel of the Gods to do to us.”

Finn’s face fell as he crossed his arms, feeling a bit bruised, yet sure he could turn it around. They silently walked towards the school’s exit, as they had many times before; now, for the last time.

The sun was high and Rey glanced out towards the city, ships passing through the air and droids mingling amongst the people. The Gods should’ve feared their intelligence, not their power.

“Whooooooo!” Finn pumped his fist into the air and the rest of the graduating class screamed with him. He had that kind of magnetism that made other people want to follow him. He was a leader, a rebel, and a stand out in almost every way.

Rey grabbed his free hand and hoisted it into the air with hers, basking in the fleeting feeling of freedom.

Later, they’d meet at the Career Center and take heaps of aptitude tests to decide what line of work they’d fit in best. But for one glorious moment, they were between being children and adults; they were free.

She dropped Finn’s hand and suddenly Rose ran towards him and grasped his shoulders, engaging in a conversation that Rey couldn’t hear. She scanned the vast crowd she knew so well: Plutt, the scoundrel- selling his ‘goods,’ armored soldiers patrolling the streets, hundreds of customers and merchants lining the paved pathways.

She felt eyes on her and her body prickled with goosebumps. She turned her head sharply and suddenly saw a cloaked man dart out of view. He was dressed from head to toe in black and his face was shadowed by his hood.

Rey felt compelled to run after him, even if just to ask what his _deal_ was, but she felt Rose’s small hand grab her wrist.

“And I’ll miss seeing you every day too, Rey--Rey?”

Rey’s head snapped back to her friends and she meekly apologized.

“I’ll see you both tonight at the Career Center though, right?” she smiled, slowly backing away.

She waved as she dashed off in the direction of the stranger.

“Where’s an orphan off to so fast?” Plutt yelled after Rey as she dashed past him. She didn’t have time to argue with the merchant.

Somehow she knew she needed to find him, her mind felt so sure he was important. Did he need help? She ran past merchant stalls and scanned the colorful tarps, the shopkeepers, their customers.

Before she knew it, she’d run to the edge of town, and still hadn’t spotted him. Dejected, she turned on her heel back towards the school she’d left behind.

“Strange girl,” a shopkeeper scoffed at her, and she sighed.

She’d felt strange that day, so maybe there was some truth to that.

______________________________ ♜ ______________________________

For her last night at the orphanage, Rey didn’t feel too attached or sad to be leaving. After the aptitude tests, the senate decided where you would be best suited to work, and housing would be provided depending on the profession. Rey knew the monopoly belonged to wealthy lobbyist shopkeepers--they could pay to have the kids they wanted. But she was an orphan, and 90 percent of them would end up as farmers even if they were smart.

She didn’t mind that future; nine hours of farming in the morning, and the rest of the day was hers. It didn’t seem like a bad line of work either, albeit sometimes straining.

She put her hair into her notorious styling and dressed herself, humming with excitement. Yesterday she was a schoolgirl, tonight she became an adult. Sure she hadn’t found her soulmate, but it wasn’t a pressing matter for her. In fact, she wasn’t interested in love, really. She was waiting for her parents to come back for her, and it consumed her heart. There was no room for anyone else.

She reached into her pillowcase and took out her journal. She flipped to one of the ending pages and made one tally mark. The book was entirely full of them, one for each day she’d been waiting for her parents. She slipped the book into her bag of belongings, fully packed; tonight was the last time she’d be sleeping in this bed.

She walked towards the Career Center with a bright smile on her face, waving to some friendly neighbors she recognized from her times causing trouble in the streets. Those who’d taken to her spunk became very friendly to her, and she treasured her friends dearly. Her favorite, other than Finn, of course, was a man she’d seen only twice before: Poe Dameron. He was in the brilliant career of piloting--smart, quick on his feet, and very handsome. She admired him greatly and hoped that one day she’d be able to have as many great stories of adventures as he did.

“Poe!” She waved at her friend and he searched for the caller of his name.

When he saw her, a huge grin fell on his face and he waved her over.

“Finally on your way to becoming a big bad adult huh kiddo?” He patted her on the shoulder, but she scoffed and shrugged his hand away, jesting.

“I’ve always been very cool, perhaps more so than you!”

“You say that now, but you’ve never seen my ship!”

They were laughing and chatting under the crescent, shining moon, when she felt it again. Eyes. Those eyes.

Her head whipped around and around but she couldn’t pinpoint him.

Why could she feel his eyes on her?

“Rey?” Poe snapped her back to reality.

“I-I’m sorry. I blanked out,”

“Am I boring you?” he chuckled, his hand falling from her shoulder down to her elbow.

“No! I think I’m just… nervous for the aptitude tests. Well--not really, I’m sure I’ll become a farmer.”

“Hey hey, you’re a brilliant kid. I think it’d be a shame if they wasted your talents like that.”

Rey smiled and he turned around in the open air stall and ordered some type of alcoholic drink.

“Isn’t that your boyfriend?” Poe cocked his head behind her and she turned to see Finn walking through the street.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” she groaned, but waved goodbye to catch up to him.

“Hey!” She hopped beside him and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Sh--Don’t scare me like that,” he chuckled, but she wrapped her arm around his and he soon calmed down. “Where’d you just come from?”

“Talking to a friend,” she shrugged, her eyes still vigilantly looking for her stalker.

“You were pretty out of it today,” Finn shouted. The night time crowd in the inner city was raucously loud and made it hard to hear.

“Sorry about that!” She yelled back. “Last day for me to really be a dreamer, huh?”

Finn bit the inside of his cheek sadly. Rey was one of the most positive people he’d ever known, and was incredibly thankful to call her his best friend. But, he couldn’t help but feel bad for her. Even when she didn’t mention it, he knew she was yearning for her parents to find her. No one had any idea who or where they were. He didn’t want to tell her that they were probably dead, because the hope in her heart seemed to keep her trudging along. She didn’t have an easy life at the orphanage, he knew that from his own experience before his adopted parents decided to take care of him.

As they neared the Career Center, the crowd was suddenly flooded with recognizable faces. Paige and Rose walked closely together, Dorme, Steela--people she’d watched grow up alongside herself, now finally reaching adulthood.

Rey suddenly felt incredibly lonely, even while linked with Finn’s arm. She knew names and faces, but she didn’t know anyone, and wondered if they felt that way as well. She ached to be loved and to give love, to have smiling faces waiting for her on the other side of becoming a woman.

She wanted somewhere to belong, and somehow she sensed it lay in front of her.

“Do you ever feel incredibly lonely even surrounded by people?” she whispered to Finn.

He chuckled softly before putting his lips to her ear.

“That’s what I like about you Rey,” he sucked in his breath before finishing, “you’re so different from everyone else.”

She’d always felt different from everyone else inside. Lost in her anxious thoughts, she felt his lips press against her cheek and she pulls away startled.

She stared at him and he looked down at the ground, embarrassed.

“Was that not.. Okay?”

“It was fine!” She reassured him with a soft smile, relinking their arms. “It just surprised me.”

He breathed a massive sigh of relief.

“That’s great news, because there’s something I wanted to tell you today.”

I can teach you.

Rey suddenly put a finger to Finn’s mouth and shushed him, her eyes wildly glancing around.

“Did you hear that?” She exclaimed, her heart pounding in her chest. “Like someone just whispered in my ear!”

Finn pulls out of Rey’s arm and looks around with her.

“You think someone’s messing with you? Because I’ll kick their--”

“Finn, be quiet!” She hissed, and Finn threw his arms up as she walked in the opposite direction of the Career Center.

“Why are you always walking away? I know you hear me!”

______________________________ ♜ ______________________________

She hadn’t found the voice and Finn had pushed her towards the aptitude testing. The crowd was huge, from the students waiting to be placed, to all their families watching with white knuckles gripped in anticipation.

She split up with Finn when they had to find their alphabetical seats. She sat quietly in the midst of strangers, but her bright personality striked up several conversations as they waited.

She watched Finn’s name get called and he followed the patrolman to the testing booth. She clenched her fists and willed him to do well, and while she knew that Finn’s adoptive family was small, many people were cheering him on. Throughout school, he was always able to make friends with any and everybody. Rey had the same charm, but her priorities always lie elsewhere. As a result, she dropped off the face of the planet for several weeks in regards to ‘friends.’ She knew it was her own fault, but she lost interest so quickly in trivial things and was always wrapped up in an adventure.

“Finn Wifyom,” The announcer called, and his adoptive family rose to their feet quickly in the crowd. “Military Personnel,”

His family cheered together and Rey smiled widely, holding her thumb up, hoping he could see. Military was a good, cushy job. Since the First Order and the Rebellion had been wiped out, military officers basically just patrolled the streets and separated petty thefts and bar fights. Apparently, they were also looking for any signs of using the Force.

The Force, that she’d always thought was a myth.

She was lost in deep thought about the banishment of the Force before she realized they’d already made it to the row of ‘R’s.

“Rey?” She looked up to see a masked patrol officer and followed him to the booth, waving at Finn briefly along the way. He was surrounded by family and friends but managed to send Rey a smile and a thumbs up for good luck.

“Sit here, answer the questions, the results will generate fairly and precisely. You are not to contest the results publicly and any questions can be taken up with the Senate. You have 20 minutes. Do you understand?”

She nodded and took her seat in the isolated booth, the holographic questions popping up ahead of her.

‘W E L C O M E , R E Y’ scrolled across the top of the holographic screen and she smiled widely, looking back to see if the officer had seen her name.

He hadn’t budged, so she turned back to the test and meekly waved hello to the screen.

It let her press to take the test whenever she was ready and she briefly paused, then slid it across the screen.

The questions were mostly situational ‘what-if’s’ and mathematics. There was a sprinkling of alien language of which she was well versed; technological prowess, personal information, and history.

She proudly finished with nine minutes to spare and the computer assembled the data together.

The officer put his wrist to the data core once it had finished loading and motioned for her to follow him to the speaker.

“Rey: scavenger,”

Her mouth fell open at the word and the crowd hushed, all glancing to get a look at the poor girl who’d been uttered before that treacherous career path. Her wide eyes pathetically searched through the crowd to find Finn’s equally confused face.

Scavengers were kids who’d rebelled and fought the system, gotten bad grades or abused drugs. Rey had done none of that: she was bright, athletic, and had a clean record. Of course she knew it was rigged and had expected a farmer’s path ahead of her due to her orphan history, but never this.

Idiots.

She heard that voice in her ear again and gasped at the way it sent shivers down her spine. She walked off the stage and Finn ran to her side. She practically fell into his arms in shock.

“What the hell happened?!” He yelled, cupping her shoulders.

“I-I don’t know!” her face felt hot and her throat was thick and hard to swallow. She refused to cry in front of all these people, but it felt like she was just slapped in the face.

“You,” a patrol officer stood behind Finn suddenly, and Rey froze when she saw that he carried a blaster. “Come with me.”

“But my friend--” Finn started.

“That’s an order!”

Finn desperately looked back at Rey.

“Yes, sir.” As he followed behind the officer, he looked back at Rey. “Meet me tonight? 11 at the spot?”

She nodded, and as Finn walked away, she realized there was no one else she could count on. No one who would believe her when she said she didn’t belong in this path.

Little Scavenger Girl.

The voice mockingly returned and Rey made circles around herself looking to find it.

“Who are you?” She whispered under her breath. “How are you doing this?”

She finally spotted him in the middle of the crowd, still shrouded in mystery and faceless.

“Don’t move,” she whispered again, walking forward.

“Rey?” She turned and looked up at a female patrol officer. “Scavenging? Come this way. Your new master wants to have a word with his recruits.”

“Yes, but there really must’ve been some mistake, I’ve never in my life--”

“No questions,” the woman snapped.

Rey’s eyes didn’t leave the hooded man’s figure as she was dragged away.

When she’d been left with the scavenger crowd, she knew without a shadow of a doubt she was in the wrong placement. Burly, scarred up young men surrounded her, each one worse off than the last. She’d heard of the dangerous drug spice hitting the streets, but each of these men looked like walking zombies. She shivered at the sight of them, and felt unsettled in her petite frame. The dusty haired blonde next to her was almost foaming at the mouth, his eyes vacant of presence.

When Unkar Plutt rounded the corner and approached the recruits, Rey set her jaw.

“You! You bought them off! You bought me!”

Plutt’s long nose dripped and his tongue popped out to collect the liquid.

“Shut your mouth, dumb orphan. Who would pay for you? You deserve to be a scavenger, accept it.”

“You’re going to pay for what you did!”

“Worthless,” Plutts spat with a menacing grin. “We’re going to have such good times together.”

Rey’s stomach swirled and she crossed her arms, looking towards the exit in hopes of spotting a friendly face or some glimmer of hope.

She should’ve known better. Every time she’d ever hoped for something, it never showed up.


	2. Chapter 2

A year had passed and Rey had reluctantly learned her trade. The work was long and frustrating, and if you came back to Plutt’s workshop empty handed, you’d be beaten, or possibly worse. Several of the boys hadn’t made it through the year, spice being their underhanded demise. She was glad when they’d died though, because she’d woken up to their disgusting hands groping her breasts under her shirt or their fingers inside of her panties, and she’d been forced to beat them into their places. Rey trudged on because her freetime was meaningful and full of studies. 

 

Everyday she ventured to the desert outposts and searched for parts that Plutt could sell in exchange for him feeding and giving her somewhere to sleep. Today she’d ventured so far she’d found an abandoned AT-AT. She rested at its base and stared out into the sand dunes. 

 

That night a year ago, she’d met Finn at their special spot liked he’d asked. When they’d met as kids, they climbed to the top of the elementary school, which had been a much greater feat when they were small. Ever since then they always met at the rooftop and stared out at the moon. But when she’d met him there a year ago, he was different.

 

_ “You made it! I was so scared,” Finn grabbed Rey’s shoulders and she fell into him, hot tears streaming down her face. _

 

_ “I don’t understand!” she cried, “They let Plutt buy me out,”  _

 

_ Finn pulled her head onto his chest and held her closely. _

 

_ “Rey, your future will get so much better. When we’re finally revealed as soulmates--” _

 

_ She hesitantly pulled out of his arms, looking up at him in confusion. _

 

_ “--Well, doesn’t it make sense that we… we would be?” Finn whispered. “I mean we haven’t been without each other for more than a day since second grade. If humans were stuck together in the old days, what better a sign is it that we’ve been glued to the hip since we were kids?” _

 

_ Rey bit her lip and looked at her shoes. _

 

_ “Come on Rey. I care about you. I know you care about me. And I know we’ll end up being soulmates and we can get married and I can save you from that damn monster Plutt!” _

 

_ “I’ve never considered it before, Finn,” she whispered. “I’ve never thought about love at all.” _

 

_ Frustrated, Finn rubbed the back of his head. _

 

_ “Well am I so bad? I mean, I’ll take care of you. I’ll treat you right. Don’t mean to toot my own horn but,” he motioned pulling down a lever repeatedly, “I’m not that bad to look at.” _

 

_ Rey chuckled and grabbed both of Finn’s hands in her own. _

 

_ “I’m not interested in love... for now. But if that day does happen, I’ll consider myself lucky.” _

 

_ Finn finally bore a smile and dipped his head once.  _

 

_ “That’s all I’m asking for!” _

 

Rey popped off the lid to her canteen and gulped down her water greedily. 

 

In the past year since she’d turned 19, she hadn’t heard that man’s voice either. She’d never found out who he was, much less how he was speaking to her from so far away. 

 

She knew nothing about him, yet she felt quite… abandoned, in the last year. Why hadn’t he shown himself to her? Why did he leave?

 

_ ‘Rey!’  _ Her wristwatch communicator Finn had bought for her sounded off.  _ ‘Come in, Rey!’ _

 

“I’m here!” She called into her wrist. 

 

_ ‘Any chance you can get out of work early today? There’s something you need to see..’ _

 

Rey stood up and turns towards the AT-AT, curious. She spat into her hands and grabbed onto a piece of fine metal hanging overhead, and with a gust of strength, wrenched it from its hinges. She threw it into the sand behind her and nodded happily.

 

“Yep, just got it covered. What do I need to see?”

 

‘ _ Hurry into town! _ ’

 

She tossed the large piece of metal onto the rest of her day’s haul and hopped onto her red speeder, a gift from Plutt for being his most successful scavenger. 

 

She approached his stand and mustered up a faint smile. She spread the haul out in front of him, and he laid out 3 quarter portions. Since she was leaving early, she decided not to argue about the ratio. 

 

“Plutt?” She put on a big, flirtatious smile. 

 

“If you’re going to ask me to leave early, fine. Everyone’s headed to the square to see the execution.”

 

That was easier than she had thought it would be.

 

“Execution?” She’d heard of criminals being killed in the public square for great crimes, but it hadn’t happened since before Rey was born. 

 

Plutt offered her no answer, waving her away. She dashed off in the direction of the square, her heart racing. Rey weaseled her way through a dense crowd of shouting townspeople. She stumbled her way to the front of the crowd and scanned the Military officers lined up in front of an empty stockade, spotting Finn from the matching comm on his wrist, his face otherwise hidden by his helmet. 

 

“Ladies and Gentleman, the use of the Force will no longer be tolerated!” Declared a masked Officer.

 

Rey’s heart pounded in her chest as the crowd around her cheered. She didn’t understand how all of these people were supportive of the treachery around her. The Jedi were magnificent people, and her entire life in the orphanage the legend of  _ Luke Skywalker _ had helped her sleep peacefully. 

 

“Millions of innocent lives were taken in the name of upholding the ways of the Jedi and the Sith and we will kill everyone who tries to hone the use of the Force!” 

 

Rey looked around herself and at Finn, wondering if he felt as conflicted about this as she did. 

“Stop! Stop this!” She screamed, but the cheers from the crowd left her words only heard in her own heart. 

 

An officer gestured to an unseen comrade in the distance. 

 

Two guards pushed a prisoner along the path. He walked with pride. Without reluctance, he marched to the center. Rey recognized his presence instantly and when he finally came into view, time seemed to come to a screeching halt. 

He instantly locked eyes with her, he knew exactly where she’d be. She gasped. It was him. The one who followed her all that time ago. She’d never seen his face but his presence sent the same chills up her spine. The one that whispered to her. He was using  _ the Force _ to do it?

 

“Stop!” she screamed, and ran to the front of the crowd. 

 

Finn pulled her away, his armored hands like talons, holding her in place.

 

“What are you doing?” His voice croaked out of his filtered mask. 

 

“This is wrong! They can’t do this!” 

 

The man was careless. It was as if he _ allowed  _ them to release his chains, transferring him into ray shielded cuffs. His eyes were transfixed on Rey’s hysterics all the while.

 

“Let me go! Finn!  _ This is wrong! _ Stop!”

 

She tried to push Finn away but his grip only seemed to dig deeper, cutting off her circulation the more she fought.

 

“Firing Squad! Ready!”

 

A squad of officers lined up, their blasters fully charged. Their sights were aimed down, ready to take this stranger’s life. 

 

Rey couldn’t let this happen. 

 

“STOP!” She screamed, wrenching her wrists from Finn’s grasp and jumping with an outstretched arm towards the prisoner.

 

The world stopped. Rey felt an icey wall surround her, and the aired burned with the passion of her scream. As her heart poured into the earth, the ground broke apart. She felt the world around her melt away and the energy of the world was within her. All she saw was her stranger. He was hers and she was meant to take this chance. In that moment as the world fell apart and she became a part of it, no one else mattered. 

It flooded back, her body ached and her eyes looked at a sideways world where everyone laid like her. Finn was several feet away, his helmet cracked, his ragdoll of a body in a daze. In her confusion, the stranger came to her side,

 

“We need to get out of here. Now.” 

 

He dragged her away but her weakness left her limp. They began running away, but officers trotted after them. They were still recovering and nowhere near in full force. Rey felt even if they were, they wouldn’t stand against him. 

 

He darted between alleyways, sinking into the shadows of the desert buildings. The squad stumbled past the alley, leaving the two to catch their breath.

 

They both gasped, breathless.

 

“Are you alright?” He asked her.

 

“I’m a bit shaken up!” She scowled. “Who are you?! You were the one following me before!”

 

“I’ll explain everything to you later, but now we have to leave this city. You aided me in escaping execution. We’re both fugitives now.”

 

“I didn’t do that… I mean, I don’t know  _ how  _ or. _. _ Or  _ what _ I even did!”

 

Footsteps approached. He ripped his cloak from his shoulders and wrapped it around Rey, the hood falling past her brow. 

 

“We need to split up and confuse their trails on us. You know where Niima Outpost is?”

 

She nodded quickly.

 

“Meet me on the outskirts of Niima as soon as you can shake the Stormtroopers. Speak to no one and keep your identity hidden or you’ll fare the same fate as I just did. I’ll help you from there.”

 

“I can’t leave here! My parents will be waiting and Finn--”

 

“The Stormtrooper? You can’t trust a Stormtrooper. And you have to get rid of that bracelet.”

He slides the commlink off her wrist into the sand.

 

“Tracking device in there.” 

 

“What the hell is a Stormtrooper? My friend is an officer--”

 

“He’s a modern day Stormtrooper and just a bit of mental reprogramming can prepare him for the war.”

 

“War?” She exclaimed.

 

He pressed a hand over her mouth and pushed her into the wall with his body as Stormtroopers ran past. She held her breath against his palm, waiting till they passed to shove him away. 

 

“Touch me like that again and I’ll--”

 

“Will you meet me at Niima? I’ll tell you everything, but we must split up, now. We’re fugitives.”

 

“I am no fugitive, this is my home!” She exclaimed.

 

“You used the Force. In front of your friends, neighbors, the Stormtroopers. If you go home, they will kill you.”

 

The Force? Rey of all people, she could use the Force? 

 

“I-I’ll meet you,” she nods, shaken by the knowledge that her life was in free fall. “But only so you can explain what mess you’ve just gotten me into.”

 

“Can you protect yourself?” 

 

She reached into her pocket, pulling a small cylinder that fit into her palm. Rey squeezed the cylinder, and a staff shot out, expanding 6 feet outward.

 

“Yes.” 

 

He disappeared down the alley and Rey clutched her chest, confused. She leaned down and picked up her comm watch against the man’s orders, hiding it in her pocket before she took off in the other direction. She grabbed the ends of a tarp and hoisted herself on top of the abandoned booth. Her strong frame grabbed for the window of a house. She pulled herself up onto the rooftops, jumping to reach for the top. Her body hit hard against the windowsill, but she held firm. Pulling with all her strength she clambored to the rooftop.

 

The rooftop was empty in all directions, and Rey’s mind was put at ease. She jumped from building to building unfound, the sun setting in the sky. Soon she’d be shrouded by darkness, but she knew the layout of this planet all too well.

 

_ ‘Rey?’  _

 

Her comm sounds off in her pocket and she jumps before hurriedly taking it out, raising it to her lips. 

 

“Finn!”

 

_ ‘Rey, what the hell happened? They want all officers on the lookout for you and that prisoner. I’ve been ordered to execute you on sight!” _

 

‘I don’t know what happened… an hour ago, I was scavenging for Plutt, and now I-I’m a fugitive and I’m running away with someone I’ve never even met…’

 

_ ‘The prisoner? Rey, he’s dangerous! Your name could be cleared!’ _

 

“I used the Force, Finn!”

 

There was a pregnant pause on Finn’s end.

 

_ ‘That’s what they’ve been saying… but I thought there was no way you did that…’  _

 

“I have no idea how it happened. And I’m scared Finn. But I know I have to go.”

 

_ ‘You’re… you’re leaving town…?’ _

 

“I can’t sit back and watch this world punish innocent people for being born different... It’s wrong Finn. This entire system is wrong.”

 

_ ‘What about your parents, Rey?’ _

 

Rey’s chest tightened, but she refused to let tears fall. 

 

“Finn, I have to get rid of this comm. They’ll find out and use it to track me. Thank you for always being my friend, and…. if they do come back for me, tell them... I’m sorry. And that I waited. I did.”

 

She heard him protesting as she dropped the comm to the ground beneath her. She crushed it beneath her heel, letting the wires burn into the sandy rooftop. 

 

______________________________         ♜       ______________________________

 

With her gaze fixed on the black horizon, the outlines of tents and livelihoods came into vision. Niima Outpost, just where it had always been. She pulled the cloak farther down her face and plopped into the sand in waiting, clutching her staff in her pocket in case anyone might approach her. Her eyes fluttered, weary, to a close.

The engine roar of a speeder shook her awake and her eyes shot open. She quickly stood to her feet and whipped her staff out in front of her. 

 

“It’s me.” 

 

She saw the man whom she’d rescued atop her red speeder and she cocked her head.

 

“This... _ is _ your speeder right?”

 

She nodded and walked towards him, for the first time getting a good look at his features. He was quite handsome, in his own way. His hair was thick and black, his eyes were large and brown and had quite the youthfulness to them. Since earlier, he’d gained several bruises and his gloves were caked with dried blood.

 

“It’s mine… did you do a lot of fighting?”

 

“Had to distract the Stormtroopers for you,” he held his gloved hand down to help her atop the speeder, and she took it cautiously. 

 

“So you steal my speeder and I don’t even get to drive?”

 

“Do you know where we’re headed?”

 

“...That’s fair.”

 

She saddled herself behind him but kept her distance, still unsure of trusting him wholly. Her eyes bore into the back of his head curiously. 

 

“Alright, you’ve got questions?” He called behind himself as he revved the speeder’s engine. 

 

“Who are you and where the hell are you taking me?!”

 

“My name is Ben Solo. I’m with the Resistance.”

 

“What are you resisting?”

 

“The oppression of Force users and anyone who needs protected against the Third Order.”

 

Ben swerved away from a boulder, nearly sending Rey tumbling off the speeder.

 

“You may want to hold on, this could be a bumpy ride.”

 

Rey begrudgingly wrapped her arms around his waist and watched her cloak fly behind them.

 

“Why were you following me a year ago?” She yelled out.

 

“I sensed you were Force sensitive and that you needed a teacher. I had to leave to protect some of the Resistance,” he shouted. “We’re almost there. Save the rest of your questions for later.”

 

“Ben, you’re about to ride off a cliff! You have to stop the speeder!” 

 

He only sped up, and Rey clutched him hard.

 

“Ben!”

 

They fly off the edge of the cliff, sand flying behind them. Rey briefly looked down and her heart dropped at the distance. Surely they were headed to their death. 

 

Then, in a flash of light, and a warm feeling spreading through her body, they disappeared from the speeder and reassemble inside of a ship miles above them.

 

Rey fell to the ground first, followed by Ben who landed on his knees.

 

“You could’ve mentioned that you had a ship that was going to beam us up!” 

 

Ben nodded.

 

“That would’ve been good to mention.” 

 

An older woman rushed to Ben’s side and grabbed his shoulders before pulling him in for  a hug.

 

“Ben!” She sighed, relieved, and smiled deeply as she pulled away. 

 

“And this is the girl?”

 

They both look back at Rey as she stood to her feet and dusted her trousers off.

 

“This is her. The last Force user of Jakku.”

 

The woman walked towards her and Rey felt a sense of purpose and strength emanate from the tiny woman.

 

“I’m General Leia Organa. My son Ben was sent to help you. You are with the Force?”

 

Rey nodded her head unsurely, her eyes darting between this woman and Ben, who nodded with her.

 

“I don’t really… know anything about the Force,” Rey breathed.

 

“Well, that’s alright. Shall we take you to your new room?”

 

“My room?”

 

Leia walked ahead and Ben promptly followed. Neither bothered to look back, confident that she would follow. She jogged to catch up with them, and her mouth hung open at the sight of the ship outside the transport room.

 

People ran past: armored people, droids, plainclothesmen, peacefully intermingling.

 

“Everyone here has the Force?”

 

Leia laughed.

 

“Oh, Gods no, there aren’t many with the Force. These people believe in justice. They are the true backbone to the Resistance.”

 

They walked through the west wing of the bay and Rey’s eyes dodged around. She circled herself trying to remember every detail, every new face.

 

“She’s wearing your cloak,” Leia chuckled.

 

“She needed anonymity,” Ben bit back. 

 

Rey silently walked along with them, her worn down boots clanking against the metal.

 

“What--Poe?!”

 

Rey caught sight of her pilot friend from Jakku and she gasped.

 

“You’re part of this too? This Resistance?”

 

“Oh, hey kiddo! Yeah I am. Fun times though, pretending to be some regular guy on Jakku. Told you you weren’t meant to be a farmer.”

 

Rey laughed in amazement. 

 

“This is absolutely--”

 

“Rey?” Ben cocked his head from several feet forward. “My mother is not a patient woman.” 

 

“Oh, sorry,” she gripped Poe’s hands tightly and walked away with a wave. “He was a friend of mine on Jakku. Funny how that works out right?”

 

Ben said nothing, his eyes steeled ahead.

 

“Ben, did you want your cloak back?” Rey pulled at the fabric around her shoulders.

 

He looked down at her briefly, then shook his head.

 

“Keep it, it suits you well.”


	3. Chapter 3

****

Rey settled down into her new bedroom, a private room like she’d never had before. In the orphanage, she’d slept in the same room as many other girls; at Plutt’s, she’d slept in an open air stall with all those boys. This was the first time she’d ever had her own room and it was disturbingly quiet. Lonely, she’d say, but she’d been lonely almost her whole life. This was peaceful. 

 

She’d wanted to see the rest of the ship, but General Leia had insisted that she’d had an excitable day and needed rest. Now that she was laying in bed, she agreed. Her body ached from all the running she’d done and her eyes were drooping. However, she was  _ covered _ in dirt, sweat, and sand--and her room came with its own bathroom! She desperately wanted to shower. She disrobed quickly and struggled with the knobs until water came pouring out. 

 

It was hot! 

 

She’d barely taken hot showers in her whole life, it felt criminal to have such a luxury ready at her fingertips. A luxury she was quite glad to partake in. 

 

She laughed under the water when she finally stepped in.

 

“This is amazing!” She threw her hands in the air and splashed water above herself.

 

‘ _ What is?’ _

 

A voice echoed in her head and she jumped to cover her chest. She poked her head out of the shower curtain and found no one. 

 

“Who.. whos there?” 

 

_ ‘...Ben. What’s amazing?’ _

 

“I’m showering! Get out of my head!” She doesn’t know if he can see her, but she felt violated all the same, covering her breasts with a scowl. 

 

‘ _ I can’t see you. I just heard your voice in my head for a moment.’ _

 

“Why? Is this part of the Force?”

 

_ ‘...This has never... happened to me before.’ _

 

Rey leaned against the metal wall and frowns. Why could they hear each other’s words?

 

“And how did you speak to me like this a year ago?”

 

_ ‘I did that on purpose. I just projected words into your head using the Force. This is… unexpected. Like we’re connected in some way.’ _

 

Rey’s face paled.

 

“You don’t suppose we’re… soulmates… do you?”

 

_ ‘...You know those stories are fake, right? There was no superior human form and you don’t need to save yourself for some soulmate you’ll instantly know when you meet them. They feed you those stories to keep you under their rule.’ _

 

“They’re not fake! But I’m glad not to be your soulmate anyways. I can hardly stand you. Now, get out of my head.”

 

She felt kind of bad, telling him she couldn’t stand him, but she was very irritated with a man infiltrating her mind while she was nude. It was crass.

 

Whether or not he could hear her thoughts, she clammored into her soft bed and almost instantly fell asleep. 

 

She slept for a full nights wonderful rest and was only awoken by loud announcements over the intercom.

 

“Gooooood morning Resistance! This is your favorite pilot Poe Dameron here with the morning announcements!”

 

In the background Leia’s voice came in as a whisper.

 

“Just get on with it Poe, this is why we never let you do this.” 

 

Rey groaned and tossed her pillow over her head, barely muffling Poe’s loud voice.

 

“Ahem. Ben Solo and I successfully made it back from Jakku yesterday and our mission was accomplished! Sixteen new recruits have completed training and will join the B-4 section so if that’s your section, prepare for that…. Hmmm… let’s see… as of last week’s refueling on Shawken our ship is at 84% fueled. A-5 member Grev Dawnton, you need to meet with Admiral Ackbar as soon as possible. Rey of Jakku, you need to go to training room A as soon as you get this message. That’s all for today folks, stay safe.”

 

The intercom turned off and Rey sat up in excitement. That was her name, over the entire ship’s intercom! She threw the covers off of her and ran to her new dresser to skim the clothing to find something appropriate for a training room. She quickly dressed herself in a sleeveless compression shirt and the trousers to match, running to the bathroom to throw her hair back. 

 

When she was fully ready she ruan out into the hallway, bustling loudly with crew starting their day. 

 

“Excuse me, can anyone point me in the direction of training room A?” 

 

The mix of human and alien species all ignored her and she huffed. 

 

“WHERE IS TRAINING ROOM A?” She grabbed a nearby droid and shouted to him above the noise.

 

The droid beeped several times and Rey nodded.

 

“Thank you, little guy,” 

 

As she walked in the direction he’d given her she looked back to see the droid rolling behind her, stopping whenever she stopped.

 

“Are you lost too? What? You can’t find your master? Well who’s your master?” 

 

She sighed when the droid dropped Poe Dameron’s name. 

 

“Of course. Well, I’ll bet he’s on the bridge of the ship, but I have no idea where that is, but I’m sure you do… See you around then?”

 

The droid slowly rolled behind her, almost grazing her heels.

 

“...Do I look like Poe to you? I can’t take you to him. I can’t even find the damn training room.”

 

But the droid continued following her even as she tried to leave him behind, and she did find the astromech rather cute. She let him tag along and eventually found herself at the training room.

 

The doors slid open upon her arrival where Ben and six others were stretching. She quickly turned her head upon the onslaught of loosening muscles. Ben was quite attractive, she had noticed though, his short hair waved loosely and his toned arms exposed. She didn’t want him to think she was into him though, because she wasn’t--and of course, you should save such thoughts for your soulmate. 

 

She cleared her throat and the groups heads turned her way.

 

“Hello,” she mumbled meekly, biting the inside of her cheek and rubbing her elbow. 

 

“Morning,” a few voices tipped her way, but Ben didn’t join them; he merely nodded in her direction and kept on. 

 

“So am I here to-to learn the Force?”

 

“Kind of,” a young boy smiled at her from on the floor, leisurely sprawled back and stretching his legs.

 

“I’m Rey,” she announced, still quite uncomfortable. 

 

“I know,” the man quipped with a wide grin. “I’m Set.”

 

“My uncle,” Ben cut in, stretching his arm behind his head, “wants to personally train us. He’s started a training temple with only about 7 recruits. So I scoured the galaxy for young Force users and we are the lucky 8.”

 

Rey walked towards them now, her feet unbalanced. 

 

“And your uncle is…?”

 

The group blinked at her, as though she’d just rocked their worlds with unparalleled obliviousness. 

 

“Luke Skywalker,” floor-man,  _ Set,  _ smiled at her. 

 

Her eyes widened and she looked at Ben in shock.

 

“I thought that he was a myth... “ her voice was laced with adoration. “And he’s... your uncle?!”

 

Ben couldn’t fight the urge to scoff at her.

 

“So you believe in multiple Gods and soulmates, but _ my uncle _ seemed like a myth to you? What kind of planet even is Jakku?”

 

Rey crossed her arms over her chest and squinted at Ben.

 

“Do you treat everyone this poorly or did you just sit up last night thinking of ways to make me miserable?”

 

Several of the group chuckled but Ben pressed onwards.

 

“We’ve set a course for the planet my uncle’s training temple is on, so whenever  _ you’re  _ ready.”

 

“I feel ready, how do I tell if I’m ready?” She was practically jittering with excitement. “What should I feel?” and she reverently whispered, “ _ The Force?” _

 

Ben’s left eye noticeably twitched and the corner of his mouth turned up.

 

“Just… packing your things should get you ready. We won’t be there for several days.”

 

Rey’s face turned red with embarrassment. 

 

“Oh. I’ll… go do that then..”

 

“Yes,” Ben held back laughing at this curious girl, but the others weren’t so reserved. 

 

“That’s cute,” Set mumbled to Kaya. 

 

Ben’s lip twitched at the remark and his eyes followed her as she jogged away.

 

______________________________         ♜       ______________________________

 

Poe had found Rey and taken his BB unit droid back--BB-8--and she’d quickly packed her clothing and essentials. She wasn’t told any specifics and wasn’t sure how long they’d reside on the planet. 

 

Rey placed her neatly packed bag onto her bed and tied Ben’s cloak around her shoulders once more. Somehow it felt comforting, and--albeit sizes too big--relatively warm and safe. She pensively stepped out of her room to do more exploring when Ben and Leia quickly approached her, and upon a glance, Rey could see Ben was tense and annoyed. His mother had him by the elbow and his gaze was frustrated when he met Rey’s eyes.

 

“It’s come to my attention that you’ve not been properly shown around this ship, is that so, Rey?”

 

Rey’s mouth hung open curiously. 

 

“Well, I suppose… I mean I’ve seen the training room where he told me to pack my bag and--”

 

“Pack your bag! You men! You pluck this girl from her home and give her  _ one day _ to get adjusted before telling her to leave again?!”

 

“Uncle Luke said--”

 

“Oh, I will get to him! We’re dealing with you first! Make this girl feel welcomed!”

 

Rey couldn’t stop her smug smile from spreading watching Ben get put in his place. Leia turned to Rey and smiled, her tone shift so dramatic even Ben was surprised.

 

“I would show you around myself, but I do have a great deal of business to attend to as General of the Resistance. You understand.” 

 

Rey nodded, a bit stunned, and Leia turned on her heel and walked back to the bridge.

 

When she was out of earshot Rey laughed raucously in Ben’s face, patting her knee.

 

“That was quite fun to see.”

 

Ben shrugged his shoulders, his face contorted in a scowl.

 

“My mother is a… difficult woman.”

“I absolutely adore her,” Rey smiled widely. “I was actually about to explore the ship myself, if you’ve got some time now?”

 

Ben ran his fingers through his hair and pushed it away from his face, his patience worn thin. He held his arm out and gestured around the dorms area.

 

“This is basically living quarters. Top level: starfighters, pilots, Force users. Bottom level: maintenance, medics, and tech.” 

 

Rey nodded and walked with a wide gait to keep up with his long legs. 

 

‘Where do you sleep then?” she pulled on her cloak’s drawstrings. 

 

“Your block is specifically for Jedi initiates, so… we’re relatively close. 

 

“Let’s see, you arrived in the telesponder, so you saw that… hmm, we keep our X-wings and smaller fighters in the east wing, do you care about that?”

 

Rey nodded, enthused. They walked in silence for some time, eventually the clinking of their boots synchronizing. Rey found herself wondering what Ben was like underneath his cold demeanor. 

 

“What do you do for fun then?” She looked up at him, a pensive smile on her face.

 

“...You shouldn’t take Jedi training lightly. There aren’t many opportunities for fun.”

 

“But…. There must be some?”

 

Ben sighed and reluctantly pointed to his left.

 

“Outside the upstairs living quarters is a pretty… lively break room.”

 

Rey looked inside as they walked past and she smiled. 

 

“Are you any good at billiards?”

 

“I haven’t been in that room in years. Even if I was, they wouldn’t let me play. I can use the Force,”

Rey chuckled and elbowed his arm, to which he looked down and furrowed his brow. 

 

“...I don’t have all day so I’ll just show you the starfighter hangar, sickbay, and take you to the bridge. My free time should be used exclusively for training so I’m a bit too pressed for the grandiose tour you seem to be hoping for.”

 

“Me?! General Organa was the one that proposed this!”

 

“Yes, I do have quite the…  _ meddling  _ sort of mother.”

 

They walked in silence again, every now and then Rey’s face lighting up at something interesting she saw. When they came upon the large starfighter hangar, she fell in love with the magic of it all. Her mouth fell open and she even caught sight of the infamous Poe as he inspected his ship with the round droid from earlier that day. She began walking towards Poe, much to Ben’s bemusement, and he waited at the entrance for her. 

 

“Hey kiddo! What are you doing wandering around?” Poe greeted her, wiping some ill begotten grease onto his jumpsuit.

 

“Ben was showing me around the ship, and I’m amazed!”

 

“He doesn’t look too happy--of course he could never appreciate a good ship,” Poe nodded his head in Ben’s direction, where he stood pensively, lurking at the entrance of the hangar.

 

“I don’t think he likes me,” Rey confessed. “His mother forced him to show me around, anyways. Is he… always like this?”

 

BB-8 rolled by his master’s ankles.

 

“Nah, I’ve seen that guy act pretty normal around his friends,”

 

Rey’s face fell.

 

“So he just hates me then?”

 

Poe shrugged his shoulders and started examining the bottom of his X-Wing, his face out of Rey’s view.

 

“Who knows! If it helps he hates me too, I mean he practically had a tantrum when we were both assigned to the Jakku mission.”

 

Rey could see that Poe wasn’t interested in continuing the conversation when he rolled beneath his X-Wing,  _ Black One, _ she read, and started asking BB-8 for tools. 

 

She turned back and walked towards Ben, who was pacing now, toeing the line to the hangar.

 

“Didn’t I tell you my free time was precious?” He scowled when she was within earshot.

 

“Yes, I wasn’t actually in there for a long time you know,” she furrowed her brow and cocked her head at her ragtag partner. 

 

“Well, this has cut into a great amount of training I could’ve done anyways, and I need to get back to it.” 

 

He turned back in the direction of the training rooms and almost gaits away, but Rey quickly grabbed his wrist with both hands.

 

“Hey! You just wait a min--”

 

She gasped when they made contact, with what felt like  _ thunder  _ vibrating in her palms, spreading from where their hands touched to her chest and up her neck. 

 

Her heartbeat quickened and goosebumps trailed her entire body.

 

Finally the stars reached her face and a deep blush settled on her cheeks. 

 

Ben quickly retracted his hand out of shock and turned around, his breathing erratic.

 

“What did you just do?” Ben whispered.

 

Rey’s mouth hung agape. 

 

“I didn’t do anything!” her breathing was heavy. “ _ What _ was that!”

 

“I don’t… know…” He shook his head and pressed forward, intent on forgetting the feeling of her touch, like a kaleidoscope of colors on his skin.

 

Rey didn’t know any words that could bridge the gap between what had happened and now.

 

“...The... bridge?” Rey quiered.

 

“Yes, I can show you that,” Ben offered, trailing ahead with a blush settling on his cheeks. 

 

Rey’s feet slowly pattered behind him, keeping her distance.

 

______________________________         ♜       ______________________________

 

Ben had shown her the bridge, although she’d had to get Leia’s permission to come aboard, which wasn’t hard for her to come by. Leia seemed to take a quick liking to her and smiled when Ben had asked to bring her aboard.

 

Neither of them had mentioned to Leia what… electric feeling had happened between them just moments before.

 

Just as he was leading her away from the bridge, Rey turned back and glanced at the expanse of space in front of them before locking eyes with Leia.

 

“General Organa?”

 

Leia cocked her head for Rey to continue.

 

“I know this is an outdated sort of question but…” Rey almost stuttered in embarrassment, “Do you know where I might find a… pen and paper?”

 

She wanted to document her experiences for Finn when they reconnected one day. 

 

Leia’s brow furrowed.

 

“I haven’t seen someone do handwriting in years… not since I taught Ben the basics. I’m surprised you even know how.”

 

Rey shrugged.

 

“It was a longshot, I suppose.”

 

Then she waved goodbye and Ben followed her out. They walked quietly for some time until Ben questioned her, curious.

 

“...Pen and paper?” He almost laughed.

 

“Shut up, you.” She folded her arms and walked slightly faster, but Ben’s long legs caught up quickly.

 

“Rey.” 

 

He carefully grabbed the clothed part of her arm to stop her.

 

“I have paper,” he said quietly. 

 

Rey quizzically glanced at him but a wide smile split her face.

 

“You do?!”

 

“It’s… my mother’s personal stationary. She gave it to me when I was young but must’ve forgotten. What do you want it for anyways?”

 

Rey bit her lip and her eyes raced to the floor.

 

“Don’t laugh at me, but I want to write down everything that’s happened to me, just so I’ll never forget… and… for Finn to read. One day.”

 

Ben let go of her arm and put his hand in his pockets.

 

“The Stormtrooper?”

 

“Why do you keep saying that? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

 

Ben walked ahead of her and sighed.

 

“They erased so much history on Jakku. You’ve got so much to learn.”

 

Rey followed him until she could see her bedroom again, a little smile forming on her face when she thought of it as hers. Ben walked straight across from it and looked back at her with a frown.

 

“This is… my room,” he squinted down at her. “Wait here and I’ll go get the stationary for you.”

 

Rey nodded but couldn’t fight the urge to look as the doors slid open for Ben. Unfortunately she couldn’t see much as the lights were off and her eyes were adjusted to the bright fluorescence above her.

 

Moments later he appeared with the paper wrapped under his arm, and he grabbed Rey’s shoulder and walked her across to her bedroom. 

 

“You’ve really got to stop grabbing me,” she scowled, shrugging his arm off of her and dusting off her--his--cloak. 

 

“Take this and use it in the privacy of your bedroom and nowhere else. It would look weird to do handwriting in public spaces, you understand?”

 

“Is it really that weird?” She grabbed the paper under his arm pensively.

 

“I don’t know what sort of primitive lifestyle you lived on Jakku, but here in modern times you’re only supposed to use handwriting for family members or between… lovers.” 

 

He frowned at her, and the door slid open to Rey’s bedroom.

 

“Which I suppose is what you’re doing. Either way, it’s best done in private.”

 

“Finn’s not my lover,” she sighed, but Ben was already walking away towards his room, and Rey stepped into hers, letting the door slide shut behind her.

 

She unceremoniously flung onto her bed and began practicing her writing.

 

______________________________         ♜       ______________________________

 

Rey had seen the mess hall on her tour with Ben and decided to abuse it when she woke the next morning. Frankly she was starving, and she needed some sort of sustenance--so when a droid made the morning announcements and woke her, she knew where she’d be headed. 

 

Along with everyone else in the Resistance, she realized a bit too late. 

 

She felt a bit out of place as the fleet settled into their groups of friends. Even droids seemed to know where they belonged. 

 

In the corner of the room, Ben had been dragged to attend breakfast by Kaya, another member set to train at Luke’s temple, and nudged Set when Rey entered the daunting room. 

 

“Hey, isn’t that Rey?” Set wondered aloud. “She looks kind of lost.”

 

Ben looked up at the mention of her name and watched her wrap his cloak around her shoulders and rub her eyes. She had definitely just woken up, her hair down and slightly messy, bags weighing beneath her eyes. Yet, she still had a cheerful air, although doubtful as she looked around. Intimidated, Ben thought. 

 

He stood up, intent on offering for her to sit with the group, and almost started walking towards her before he saw Poe jog up to her and place his hand on her shoulder. She smiled brightly and he guided her over to where he sat with several other fighter pilots.  

 

He set his jaw and returned to sitting, the group’s eyes on him. 

 

“I.. was going to go get breakfast but I’m not hungry,” he lied, his eyes trained on the ground. 

 

“Rrrriggghhttt,” Set grinned, nudging Kaya with a knowing glance shared between them. 

 

Calix swatted Set’s elbow and shook her head at the pair with a frown.

 

Rey sat herself next to Poe and smiled brightly at the people around her.

 

“This is Tallie, and Connix, and C’ai, this lovable alien here, and of course you know Bee-Bee-Ate,” 

 

Rey waved to each of them as Poe said their names and pointed to them, with BB-8 rolling to her heels.

 

“I’m Rey,” she announced, and the group nodded.

 

“We know,” Tallie smiled.

 

Why did everyone keep responding to her that way?

 

When she was done with her less than appetizing breakfast and the room was clearing out, she caught sight of Ben Solo, and a few recognizable faces from the training room. She considered waving and almost raised her hand, but Ben was staring daggers into her and she put her hand down nervously, cocking her head at him.

 

She tried to ask what was wrong with her looks but realized that she, too, was a wielder of the force. And when she’d touched Ben’s hand, it was as though she’d absorbed some of his training.

 

She could project herself into his mind, as he’d done to her when she’d graduated. 

 

_ ‘Are you okay?’ _

 

Ben’s eyes widened and a small grin formed on his lips in realization.

 

_ ‘So you figured out projections, I see.’ _

 

She leaned her face onto her palm and raised her eyebrows at him.

 

_ ‘You underestimate me Ben.’  _

 

She’s drawn out of her thoughts by Poe’s hand on her elbow and she feels Ben’s face contort, somehow, and she mimics it on her own face.

 

The effort of projecting into Ben’s mind made her body feel dizzy, and she realized how unaccustomed to using the Force she was. It made her feel steadfast on practicing more often.

 

“I don’t have a shift till later,” Poe smiled at her. “Want to go to the break room with me?” 

 

Rey almost said yes before Ben’s voice splits into her thoughts.

 

_ ‘We have training in ten minutes. You need to be there. Alone.’ _

 

__ Poe watched as Rey’s smile fell and she turned to look at Ben Solo with a smirk.

 

_ ‘Jealous?’ _

 

__ It had been a joke, but Ben didn’t say anything back and stormed out of the room childishly, leaving Rey watching in surprise.

 

“Uh, Rey? Space to Rey?”

 

Rey blinked and turned back to Poe, who shook his head.

 

“ _ Oh,  _ come on Rey. Ben Solo? You can do better than that guy. And your Jakku boyfriend was way cuter than him.”

 

Rey removed her arm from Poe’s grasp, feeling a bit offended for Ben.

 

“I have training to get to is all. And--Finn wasn’t my boyfriend.”

 

She started walking after Ben before she turned back, realizing how this might look to Poe, or anyone else watching her exchange with Ben.

 

“And neither is Ben!”

 

______________________________         ♜       ______________________________

 

“I think it’s time for a better introduction to all of us, Rey,” Set grinned when she settled onto the floor of training room A and stretched amongst the group silently, exchanging glances with Ben.

 

“Okay!” Rey agreed, stretching her arm across her chest.

 

“Well, as you know, Ben discovered all of us from our home planets for Master Luke, as part of the mission to find Force-sensitive students for his temple,”

 

She actually hadn’t known that. She glanced up at Ben and realized he’d probably gone through similar, if not tougher, situations to pluck herself from Jakku as with the others. And he acted much better towards these other 5 men and women. She wondered what it was like, briefly, when he’d rescued Calix for the cause, a beautiful blonde who had an air of regality around her--or Qri, whose long black braid and striking eyes made her a warm yet unearthly seeming beauty. 

 

“You’re the final one, and we all have had a while to get to know each other. Between when we first discovered you and when we were actually able to rescue you--

 

_ A year, _ Rey thought to herself.  _ A terrible year.  _

 

“We feel kind of bad that you’re the odd one out and we’d like to rectify it,” Kaya said, his brown skin taut against his compression clothes. “So, as you know, I’m Kaya, I hail from Akiva, a jungle planet. This last year and a half has been quite the culture shock to me,” 

 

“I’m from Dantooine,” Set grinned at her. “So I was kind of born into the Resistance.”

 

Serif revealed he was from Kessel, whilst insisting he had no part in the mining or use of his hometowns famous drug--which Rey had encountered back home at Jakku-- _ spice. _ Qri revealed she was from the poor Otomok system, which sounded vaguely familiar in Rey’s head but she couldn’t pinpoint it.

 

“I’m from Chandrila,” Calix said, and then glanced at Ben from the side. “As is Ben.”

 

Rey, caught by surprise, glanced at Ben curiously. She knew they didn’t know each other well but, at the very least, he knew where she came from. 

 

Suddenly she was realizing that she didn’t know anything about him at all, other than the fact that he was part of the Resistance and that the General was his mother. 

 

“Well I’m Rey, from Jakku--but you all knew that,” she added quickly before anyone could say they already knew about her.

 

“We really should start training,” Calix cut in, “I mean that’s how you really get to know someone anyways. Want to watch us spar first before you join in Rey?”

 

She was a little insulted by the notion that she couldn’t keep up, but she really did know next to nothing about the Force--and the group was already standing to their feet without her. 

 

So she watched them spar with their training props. Somehow she could tell they were sparring in order of the strongest Force users versus the weaker ones, and felt herself wondering where she would line up. 

 

Ben versus Calix, Qri versus Set, and finally Kaya versus Serif.

 

With the addition of herself, the numbers wouldn’t be even. Rey was feeling a slight self consciousness and, watching Ben and Calix expertly work around each other, slightly peeved. 

 

She could be on the same level as them if Ben hadn’t abandoned her for that whole year. 

 

Because of whatever business he had to attend to all that time, Rey was a whole year of training behind the others. 

 

______________________________         ♜       ______________________________

 

Rey tossed and turned in her bed, violent dreams pushing her around fitfully, unable to succumb to peaceful rest. 

 

Somehow, she had felt uneasy before deciding to settle into her covers, and it had followed her into her realm of dreams. 

 

She had barely started snoring before she was sharply awoken by a thunderous barrage of explosions, and she felt herself thrown off the bed as the ship tumbled and wobbled from the impact. 

 

She picked herself up off the ground and ran to her dresser, grabbing her staff before running out the door.

 

Ben was already in the hallway, looking nervous as he caught Rey’s eye.

 

“To the bridge,” he called.

 

Rey nodded, but another crash against the ship sent her tumbling to his side of the hallway, both of them crouched against the wall next to each other.

 

“What’s happening?!” She called, grabbing Ben’s elbow for support as the ship swung port.

 

At this point the other Padawan learners had emerged and were tumbling about aimlessly.

 

“We’re being attacked!” Set called, grasping for purchase against the walls. “It’s the Third Order!”

 

“All of you head to the starfighter wing! They need the most cover! I’ll head to the bridge to protect my mother,” 

 

“On it!” Calix called, helping Qri to her feet and dutifully running down the halls.

 

“Rey, you go with them,” Ben turned to her on the floor next to him.

 

She stood, her knees unstable, and offered him her hand. She shook her head as she helped pull him to his feet. 

 

The touch flooded her mind with very distant memories and a feeling of knowledge. Inexplicable ghosts floated past her head as they touched, and a very knowing blush settled on her cheeks. She shook her head again to break her stupor.

 

“I’m coming with you,” she breathed heavily. “You need backup,”

 

“I don’t have time to argue,” he broke their hands apart as he sprung to his feet, a disapproving tone in his voice. 

 

“Let’s go then!”

 

Rey ran ahead, with Ben quickly catching up, his worry for his mother fueling his legs along faster than his brain could follow.

 

They burst onto the bridge and Rey extended her staff, gasping at the sight before her.

 

_ The Raddus _ paled in comparison to what lay in front of them, a ship at least three times the size in their sights and tiny fighter ships propelled out in the distance. 

 

“Ben!” Leia called. “You shouldn’t be here.”

 

“They broke through our shields?” He ran quickly to his mother’s side, looking at the holographic projections in front of him. 

 

“For a brief moment, they were down, but luckily we managed to get them running just in time,” Admiral Ackbar announced, nervously pacing.

 

“What happened?” Rey walked towards Ben and the General, her eyes glued to the violence that lay beyond them. 

 

“Someone tipped the Third Order off on where we were headed,” Holdo said through gritted teeth. 

 

“Make the jump to lightspeed,” Ben scowled. “Why do we have fighter pilots out?”

 

To this, the bridge audibly groaned.

 

“Poe Dameron thought it was the perfect time to execute a plan he’d been crafting,”

 

“Is he… taking out their surface cannons?” Rey gasped, stepping closer to the glass.

 

“Not only that,” Leia sighed, “he’s created an airtight formation to try to take out a dreadnaught.”

 

“Fleet-killers,” Ackbar nodded.

 

“So,” Ben was almost seething. “The entire ship went into a panic so Poe Dameron could live out his sick heroic fantasy? At what cost?” 

 

He shoved his fist into the control panel’s edge, and Rey finally turned from the scene beyond and cocked her brow.

 

“No cost, so far,” Leia chuckled, seemingly amused at her son’s easily triggered temper.

 

At that moment, a squadron of Third Order tie-fighters launched from their base, surrounding the small squad of Resistance pilots. 

 

“They’re outnumbered,” Ben seethed, his fist curling and white. 

 

“Pull back, Poe, that’s an order,” Leia called into her wrist.

 

_ “No, no, General, you don’t understand what an opp--” _

 

“I said that’s an order!”

 

Reluctantly, Poe ordered his troops to pull back. 

 

Everyone on the bridge sighed, relieved, yet Ben still seemed angered.

 

“You let him do whatever he wants-- at the cost of anyones life!” Ben stepped away from his mother, throwing his hands up. “Let him run this ship then, see how long you even have a crew!”

 

He stormed away from the scene, pulling out a shining sword of light that mesmerized Rey and he tantrically sliced the door open, stepping through the carnage.

 

Leia sighed and rolled her eyes. 

 

“Get me a new door, you, and make the jump to lightspeed once our fighters have reassembled on ship,” she called to someone behind her. 

 

Her eyes shifted to Rey, and she cocked her head to the side. 

 

“You’re going to go after him, aren’t you?”

 

Rey shrugged her shoulders.

 

“Should I? We… hardly know each other.”

 

Leia shrugged as well.

 

“Better you than me,” she smiled sadly. 

 

“But you’re his mother… We’ve just met,” Rey mumbled, not really excited to go after the madman.

 

“Go get to know him, then,” Leia waved Rey away and she sighed, obediently following Ben through the debris.

 

Somehow outside of the bridge, Ben was nowhere in sight. He’d made it all the way back to his room in his angered hubris. Rey toes slowly down the hallway with a sigh and shoved her hands in her pockets. Why did she have to go to the bridge? She could’ve avoided all of this if she’d just gone with the others.

 

She stood with baited breath across from her own bedroom at Ben’s door, momentarily wondering if she could just go to sleep instead. 

 

Somehow she felt General Organa would know, and would punish her. 

 

She cleared her throat and knocked twice on the door.

 

“Ben?” She called. 

 

“...I’d rather not do this now,” Ben called through the door.

 

“Yeah, me too,” Rey sighed.

The door slid open and Rey finally walked into Ben’s room, holding her own hands as she glanced about.

 

It was rather basic, like her own room. But it felt inhabited, with the dresser top covered in small notes and trinkets, and the desk adorned with an ornamental calligraphy set. 

 

“Calligraphy?” Rey quiered.

 

“...Never tell anyone about that.”

 

“Am I the only one who knows?”

 

“Yes. Swear you’ll never breathe a word about it.”

 

Rey smiled but contained her chuckle. 

 

“It’s amazing you’ve managed to keep it a secret for so long,” she smirked.

 

“You’re the only person whose ever come in here. Well, my mother: but I hide it from her.”

 

Rey furrowed her brows but stops herself from asking why. Leia had sent her with a purpose.

 

“What… was all that back there? Why’d you get so mad?” 

 

She glanced around uneasily, feeling frozen in place and wondering if she should stand for the whole conversation.

 

“...Poe Dameron is someone I can’t agree with.”

 

“Yeah, you said that on the bridge but… why?”

 

“He’d risk your life to look like a hero, isn’t that enough?

 

“But why do YOU hate him?”

 

Ben sighed, and cocked his head. 

 

“He wants to take over the ship after my mother and would do anything to prove he’s worthy. I’m supposed to take over the ship, of course, and--you know you can sit on the bed? I won’t… hurt you.”

 

Rey stopped her pacing and smiled, sitting on the edge of Ben’s bed. 

 

“And, of course, everyone loves him. I’ve heard people call him the son my mother deserves to have, but I--”

 

“You’re a great son. When you thought everyone was in danger you ran straight to her. Poe ran in the opposite direction. And you’d make a fine... General Solo.”

 

“She won’t listen to me that he’s manipulating her to try to get the ship when the time comes for her to relieve command.”

 

“Do you even want the ship?” Rey cut in.

 

“I haven’t decided,” Ben admitted, “But even if I don’t, it shouldn’t go to him. He doesn’t understand the value of life. And...”

 

“And?” Rey asked again, after a moment of silence.

 

“-Thank you, for saying that, just now.”

 

Rey smiled warmly and matched his piercing gaze.

 

“Can I tell you something Ben?” Rey bit her lip. She didn’t give him a chance to answer before she continued, “earlier, when we touched hands, I saw… something.”

 

Ben sat up in the bed, swinging his legs over so they were side by side. 

 

“What was it?”

 

“Well,” she continued, “I… I think it was.. You. Things from your past, your training, things in your future…”

 

Ben nodded slowly. 

 

“I saw something too. But I ran straight to my mother so I’m... hazy on the details.”

 

“...Why does that happen? I can shake Set’s hand just fine.” 

 

“I think we’re connected, somehow,” Ben sighed. “We might not like it but, it seems like the Force knows something about us that we don’t.” 

 

“Is there any way for us to figure this out? You know, instead of waiting on the Force.”

 

Ben shook his head, then shifted back onto the headboard of his bed.  

 

“You should get back to sleep, Rey,” he said quietly. 

 

Rey returned to her bed that night with a racing mind and heavy eyes.

______________________________         ♜       ______________________________

  
  


Finn Wifyom shot straight up from his bed, sweat cascading down his forehead and his chest heaving with labored breaths. 

 

He’d called off for his last two shifts and was staying in his adoptive parents’ house again, like when he was still in school. 

 

He was just shaken to his core by the events of two days prior. 

 

Since then, Rey’s face was plastered all over the city and the officers were supposed to be scourging the town for any information on her and the unidentified prisoner. 

 

Finn refused to be part of trying to interrogate people to find and ultimately kill his best friend.

 

He’d been almost holed up in his parents home for two days with no end--and no solution--in sight. He’d instructed his mother that if anyone might show up looking for him, to turn them away. 

 

She was a very small and defiant woman, though.

 

“Finn? A friend of yours is here to see you.”

 

“Ma, I told you--”

 

When his mysterious visitors rounded into his bedroom, his brow hooked curiously.

 

“Rose? Paige?”

 

“Thanks Mrs. Wifyom,” Rose politely called to his mother. “We won’t be long!”

 

Paige carefully shut the door behind herself and Finn stretched his arm out along the bed, his eyes shifting between the sisters.

 

“Does your mother know about the Rey situation?” Rose whispered meekly as she walked to the bed and sat next to Finn. 

 

Finn set his jaw and watched Paige stand leeringly against his door.

 

“Everyone in town knows.”

 

“Thats what we’re here about,” Paige whispered, finally leaving the door and joining the pair on the bed. “Finn, there’s a revolt starting.”

 

“Mostly kids our age, but,” Rose grabbed Finn’s hands, “they want Force users to not be punished. The older people will never agree, but we’re strong in numbers.”

 

Finn’s mouth fell open and he looked wearily at his door.

 

“What? When did this happen?”

 

“We all cared about Rey!” Rose whispered.

 

“You barely even  _ knew _ her,” Finn’s tone was biting.

 

“Maybe not, but… she’s not the only one.”

 

Finn looked quickly between the sisters.

 

“Finn, Ahsoka has the Force.”

 

Paige placed her hand on Finn’s shoulder and looked at her sister.

 

“We’re not going to let Ahsoka go through what Rey went through. I mean, Rey didn’t even know she had the Force, right?”

 

Finn weakly nodded.

 

“Neither of us had any clue,” and he was still questioning if all of this was real or maybe just a sick nightmare.

 

“Ahsoka has always known. She says she’s been training and honing it since she first discovered her… ability. Since she was 3. But now she’s scared after seeing what happened to Rey. She doesn’t want to be on a planet occupied by the Third Order.

 

“She wants to join The Resistance,” Rose shook his hands up and down. “And we want to go with her.”

 

“And of course, we’re here because we want you to come with us,” Paige finished.

 

“I-I’m not leaving my mother,” Finn whispered, feeling faint.

 

“It’s not like you could never come back,” Paige rolled her eyes. “And, do you want a reason to go?”

 

Finn shrugged his shoulders.

 

“I’m not sure you can convince me to just… jump ship on my entire  _ life.” _

 

Rose pulled a comlink out of her pocket. 

 

“My cousin told me that she has a friend that graduated a few years ago that joined the Resistance,” Rose pressed the hologram signal and waited for her inside messenger to respond, “And that she could talk to us about the Resistance.”

 

“So… you got a recruiter to talk to me? That doesn’t really change my mind.”

 

The hologram popped up and the face of a young woman with two hair buns flooded the machine.

 

“Hello?” Rose meekly held up her hand. “I’m Rose. This is my sister Paige, and our friend Finn. We’re from Jakku”

 

“Hi,” she smiled. “I’m Kaydel, but you can call me Connix.”

 

“Connix, we’re under the impression that our friend is on your ship.”

 

Connix wrinkled her brow, then nodded with realization.

 

“You’re on Jakku? We just picked up a Force user there, oh... what was her name?”

 

Finn’s heart dropped.

 

“Rey,” he whispers. 

 

“That’s it! Rey.”

 

“Listen, we want to join the Resistance. We’re prepared to set up a rendezvous point for you. And you’ll be interested to know that there’s  _ another _ Force user here. Ahsoka Tano.”

 

Connix shook her head.

 

“Another one? Ben should’ve been able to sense them…”

 

“She’s been training herself. She might know how to cut off from it.”

 

“I can let the General know, but it’ll be up to her what the course of action is.”

 

“Absolutely. Just let us know as soon as you can. We need to get off this planet.”

 

They said their goodbyes and the comlink clicked off.

 

“So…” Rose looked between her sister and Finn. “Can we count you in?”

 

Finn swallowed and nodded his head slowly. Wherever Rey was, now that he knew she was alive and well, was where he had to go. 

 

“Don’t leave without me.”


	4. Chapter 4

“We’re headed back to Jakku?”

 

Ben was sweating and talking with his mother on his commlink, practice stalled from the urgency of her call.

 

Rey’s head snapped up at the mention of her home planet.

 

_ “You forgot a damn Force user on that godsforsaken planet!” _

 

“How is that even possible?” Ben scoffed. “I reached out for any sense of the Force. All I found was Rey.”

 

Again, her head popped up, this time from hearing her name spoken.

 

_ “This one is, apparently, well trained enough to cut herself off from the Force. And there’s new recruits waiting too--apparently the whole planets in revolt at what happened to you and Rey.” _

 

Rey walked over to Ben, grabbing his wrist and holding it up to her mouth.

 

“General Organa, sorry to cut in-- do you know.. who the person is?”

 

_ “Oh, I can’t remember names--”  _

 

Somewhere in the background, a woman shouted,  _ ‘Ahsoka Tano, General, _ ’ and Leia butchered the retelling to Ben and Rey.

 

Rey’s jaw dropped.

 

Ahsoka… had the Force? She had been training herself that whole time? Had she realized that Rey had it as well?

 

A million questions ran through Rey’s mind.

 

“General, can I be... on the ground for the mission? No one knows Jakku like I do.”

 

“ _ You two are exiled from Jakku, remember? If either of you even set foot there--” _

 

“I can go at night and easily make my way through side streets. Please, I want to see my friend,” she almost begged. “I’ll be perfectly safe.”

 

_ “Well.. you’re not very experienced. You should take Set with you as well.” _

 

Ben squinted at the commlink.

 

“If she’ll be safe enough to go, I’ll be safe enough to go with her. Uncle Luke tasked  _ me  _ with collecting his Padawan.” 

 

Set grumbled in the background but Ben gave him a fierce glare.

 

“ _ Oh, fine! You both can go! But do not let a single hair on her head be harmed, Ben. I mean that. And follow her lead through the streets. She’ll know best.” _

 

Ben took a long glance at Rey, who wondered why she wouldn’t be telling Rey the same about her son.

 

“I’ll protect her,” Ben conceded.

 

“I can pro--”

 

“ _ Perfect. We’ll be ready to land tomorrow.” _

 

He pushed down on his watch and Rey crossed her arms with a sigh.

 

“I’ve been training with you guys, you know. I’m getting good. It’s rude to say you’ll protect me when I’ve saved you once already and you haven’t saved me at all! You know what? I’m ready for my laser sword!”

 

He really had been taking her speech to heart, really. She wasn’t a damsel in distress by any means; each day she’d been clamoring up the ranks and soon she might even overtake Ben.

 

But the moment she said ‘laser sword,’ the entire room started raucously laughing. Even Ben couldn’t hold back from chuckling.

 

“L-laser sword?”

 

Rey’s face flushed pink.

 

“I saw Ben tear up the door with a… light… stick?”

 

“It’s a lightsaber, Rey,” Serif choked out between his cackles.

 

“Oh,” Rey’s cheeks turned even darker. “I didn’t know. I’m ready for that then.”

 

“We don’t even have those,” Calix smirked. 

 

Rey curiously turned to Ben.

 

“Then why do you have one?”

 

Ben’s hand protectively went to his waist, where he kept the lightsaber strapped.

 

“My uncle made it for himself when he started training me, but it took a liking to my handiwork so he lent it to me. That was… seven years ago though. So I just consider it mine. He’ll make practice lightsabers for each of you as well.”

 

Rey reached out to touch it but Ben instinctively pulled away, clasping tighter around the sophisticated weapon. 

 

“...You should go prepare for the mission tonight, Rey.” 

 

The rest of the group clasped their hands around Rey’s shoulders and wished the two the best of luck. Tonight was it. 

 

Tonight she would see Finn for the last time, and not even Ben Solo could distract her from that.

 

______________________________         ♜       ______________________________

 

When the night came, Rey wrapped herself in a scarf that covered half of her face, and then shrouded her head with Ben’s cloak. She felt almost unrecognizable, as though she could blend into any Jakku street.

 

When she emerged in the hall, Ben was waiting in a similar garb. She pointed to the shawl around his shoulders.

 

“You got a new cloak,” she smirked.

 

“Well, my first one got stolen, so,” he crossed his arms and his head cocked in her direction.

 

She was almost tempted to tell him to come take it back, which caught her by surprise, because they had a mission to do--and, why would she even say that?

 

“You two ready?”

 

Leia’s sudden approach caught Rey by surprise; the ship was dark and asleep, and she’d slunk along the shadows with an eerie quietness. 

 

“Ready,” she confirmed, and Ben nodded along as well. 

 

“I don’t like this,” Leia sighed, “but I know Ben wouldn’t relent. Once he gets his mind set on something, well, he’s as stubborn as his father.”

 

Leia chuckled, but this was the first Rey had heard of a father. She looked quickly to Ben; his eyes turned cold and distant and he bore holes into the floor.

 

“I wouldn’t give up either,” Rey diverted the conversation. “I want to go home one more time. And I guess I’m stubborn too.”

 

“Yes, I got that sense,” Leia’s lips turned into half of a smile.

 

She started walking towards the transport room with quick steps.

 

“It’s how I knew I’d like you, Rey. I know a stubborn mule when I see one. I like the troublemakers. And of course, my son does too.”

 

“Mother--”

 

“I’m _ just _ saying. You can’t deny your Solo genes.” 

 

“Can we talk about the mission?” Ben snapped, and Rey heard the fragments of an annoyed teenager, desperate to distract their mother from meddling. 

 

She held down a chuckle and Leia sighed, relenting.

 

“Get down to the surface. Lay low. The rebels and the Force wielder have arranged a meeting at Niima Outpost. In and out. Stay out of trouble. But if trouble finds you--” she stopped her steps and turned to look between the pair, her gaze shifting dramatically through their height difference, “protect each other. He’s my only son, Rey. I can’t be without my son. And you--” Leia turned to her son and pointed to his chest, “Protect her. You know how important she is. She’s the new hope for the Resistance. Don’t let anything happen to her.”  

 

Ben nodded, pulling his scarf past his nose. 

 

Rey felt the warm, still unfamiliar feeling of the particles of her body spreading and separating, only to reform on the pitch black deserts of Jakku.

 

She took in a deep breath through her scarf and the air was shockingly fresh. She’d never noticed in her eighteen years of living here, but the air was like a glass of ice cold water in her lungs. 

 

“I thought deserts were supposed to be warm,” Ben grumbled. 

 

“It’s nighttime,” Rey whispered back. “They’re freezing at night. You’ll be okay though.”

 

She held the beacon Leia had trusted her with in her palm, whenever they were ready to be brought up with the group. 

 

Now, the part she dreaded. She turned to Ben and took a deep breath.

 

“I have to tell you something.”

 

He didn’t say anything, so she continued on shakily.

 

“I can’t… stick to the mission perfectly. I-I know what General Organa said. But I have to find my friend.”

 

Ben grit his teeth.

 

“I  _ knew _ this would happen.” He turned his back to Rey and headed in the supposed direction of Niima Outpost, and Rey curiously jogged after him.

 

“What?”

 

“That  _ you _ would be compromised by your attachment. That you’d risk the whole mission on personal affairs.”

 

“Ben, I--”

 

“Go, Rey. And pray you’re quick enough that you don’t get left behind. Go find your boyfriend.”

 

Rey felt her throat tighten at his harsh tone but she didn’t have time to argue. She felt her eyes sting but she let her anger fuel her to run in the opposite direction. 

 

Ben hadn’t really expected her to just… take off running towards town, at the direct disobedience of his mother’s orders. But there she was, her thin legs carrying her as fast as she could go against sand. Which, for the desert native, was rather fast.

 

“Shit,” Ben sighed, tightening his cloak around his neck. 

 

Someone had to finish the mission.

 

______________________________         ♜       ______________________________

 

Rey dodged through the streets she grew up in, shrouded in the darkness. She turned the beacon off, momentarily, in case Leia decided to try to contact her and the light would alert someone to her location. She didn’t need that, and she didn’t need Ben’s cruel words ringing in her ears, but… they were. And they were right. 

 

She was being a fool.

 

But she couldn’t help it. Finn deserved to know where she was. 

 

She used a tarp to pull herself up to the rooftops, where she could quietly jump from one to another unseen. She knew exactly which way to go to get to Finn’s house.

 

It would take Ben a solid hour to walk to Niima Outpost, which she knew she could get to Finn’s and there in time. She was fast, and knew the patterns to the shifting sands.

 

Rey almost jumped to another roof but the voices in the alley below caused her to wobble and step back quickly. She dropped to her knees to avoid anyone spotting her, and followed the stragglers with her eyes until they were too far gone to notice her. 

 

From this high up, she could see the school. The orphanage. The tarps of Unkar Plutt’s shop.

 

She was close. But still, she took a moment to take it all in. Jakku had seemed endless and large to her as a child, but now, she wondered if it had always been so small. 

 

She reached the Wifyom house and took a deep breath. She hadn’t prepared anything to say and frankly didn’t care to; she was confident that when she saw her friend, the words would come.

 

She couldn’t knock on the door, so she went to his window, like she had so many times in their childhood. 

 

And she waited. 

 

She knocked again. 

 

And waited.

 

When the window finally flew open, she was startled to see Finn’s mother, and she pulled her scarf higher onto her nose.

 

“What the hell do you--Rey?”

 

Rey felt unwitting tears form in her eyes.

 

“Mrs. Wifyom,” Rey choked, and while this wasn’t the emotional reunion she’d been expecting, she’d been like a mother to Rey on many occasions. 

 

She pulled the scarf down and revealed her face.

 

“I’m looking for Finn,” she cried. “I didn’t get to tell anyone goodbye. I just want to say goodbye.”

 

She was visibly pale and glanced around warily for any curious neighbors.

 

“I-i’m supposed to turn you into the authorities,” she whispered.

 

“No, please. I just want to... tell him goodbye and I’m gone for good.” Her voice cracked and her heart pounded against her chest.

 

“I have to call… I can’t risk my family for you, not anymore…”

 

Tears spilled from her eyes. 

 

“Where is Finn?” 

 

“Get a head start, Rey. They won’t take long.”

 

“Where is Finn?” she wiped her salty tears away furiously. 

 

“You and your... kind will not be tolerated anymore. You people make me sick. I’m calling the police now.”

 

Rey placed her face in her hands and sobbed audibly while the windows shut. She’d never get to see Finn now. She had to start heading towards Ben, whom she’d let down, and she didn’t even get what she came for. 

 

She pulled her scarf back onto her face and dashed towards the desert. 

 

Ben was right. She’d compromised the mission for her selfish reasons and didn’t even get what she came for. 

 

She heard Ben’s so called Stormtroopers away in the distance and a sense of dread rolled in her stomach. She only had her staff with her and it wouldn’t be enough against blasters. But she might be able to outrun them.

 

She tried to carry herself as fast as when she’d been headed towards Finn, but her stomach was in pain and her legs were shaking from nerves and grief. 

 

She ducked into an alley when she realized she couldn’t run anymore. Her knees were buckling beneath her and her muffled tears kept her chest tight and shaky. 

 

Troopers ran past her, successfully, albeit hot on her trail. 

 

She tried to take a few steadying breaths and put Mrs. Wifyom’s cruel words out of her mind. 

 

But, it wasn’t so easy to put Finn out of her mind. And how she’d never see him again. 

 

_ “Did you hear that?” _ A muffled, nearly robotic voice resounds throughout the alleyway and Rey’s breathing comes to a screeching halt. 

 

“ _ Check that alley,” _

 

And Rey just knew they were headed straight for her. And with all their training, she’d be no match. She desperately sidled along the wall until she found the edge of a windowsill. She stuck her feet on it and hoisted herself up, swinging herself pensively until she builds up enough motion to grab the window several feet away. And just as she gripped the top of the roof--and almost pulled her shoulder out of its socket pulling herself up--the Troopers spot her.

 

_ “On the roof!” _

 

She rolled over but a shot from a blaster knicked her in the shoulder. 

 

She growled in pain and brought her right hand up to apply pressure, her eyes squeezed shut.

 

“Okay, okay, okay,” she breathed to herself, taking deep breaths and pushing the pain out of her mind. 

 

She rolled onto her knees and scrambled to her feet, wearily jumping to the next rooftop as the Troopers emerged across from her. 

 

“ _ Over there!” _

 

Several red shots fly past her and she ran with only adrenaline pushing her forward. 

 

A shot hit her in the leg at the edge of the roof as she was preparing to jump and she tumbled over the edge. 

 

She fell towards the ground and frantically tried to gain purchase in the walls. She almost felt relieved when she crashed into a tarp, but her momentum ripped the fabric from its pins and sent her tumbling towards the ground. She immediately rolled onto her side to spread the pain, but she cried in her agony and could barely breathe, let alone think.

 

“Okay,” she whispered, tears spiking her eyes and a sense of dread settling in. 

 

This was it then. Even if she found the strength to stand to her feet, she’d be hobbling to get away. She pulled herself into a crawling position and her muscles screamed at her but she ignored them, trying to get out of the alley where she’d almost certainly die. 

 

The Troopers slid down the walls, armored with hookshot equipment, and soon there were four armored men standing tall around her pitiable form. 

 

“No,” she choked out, and her mouth tasted like iron. 

 

They all cocked their blasters at her and she fell onto her rear, holding a weak arm in front of her chest. 

 

“ _ On my command,”  _ one of the Troopers called.

 

Rey tried to harness that same power she’d exuded when it was Ben’s life on the line, although he’d been a stranger at the time, but it wouldn’t come. She tried to push it out of her chest like it was a magical power and tears fell down her cheeks as she realized she didn’t know the Force at all. But that didn’t matter now. What mattered now was that she was going to die, because she hadn’t listened to Leia... or Ben, and that she’d never gotten to say goodbye to her best friend.

 

_ “Fire!” _

 

Rey clamped her eyes shut and tried to find peace, when under her eyelids a green light danced. Her eyes snapped open and she watched Ben, who’d apparently jumped from the rooftop behind them, sliced through the Trooper’s armor, whose head rolled next to Rey.  

 

She took that as her call to action and scrambled to her feet. 

 

Ben held his hand out and lifted the gun from the Trooper’s hand with the Force, sending it flying far behind him. The Trooper smashed into the wall next to Ben, and he jammed his lightsaber straight through the Trooper’s heart. 

 

The other troopers began firing, relentless, at both of them. Ben could deflect many shots with his saber, but his training was lacking and bolts brazed his arm. 

 

Rey couldn’t stand to be a damsel in distress, and seeing Ben get hurt fueled her fire. He was here,  _ hurting _ , on her account.

 

She held her hand out and, with all the anger in her body, sent one of the Troopers flying backwards and the impact knocked him out cold. 

 

The last Trooper was unwavering, and pulled out a long, sword-like weapon of his own Rey had never seen before.

 

Ben charged at his enemy, the blades making loud exchanges every time they clashed together. 

 

When the Trooper landed a deep gash into Ben’s forearm, he recoiled and stumbled backwards. 

 

“Ben!” Rey cried, running to his side. 

 

She stole the lightsaber from his hand and turned towards the last Trooper.

 

“You’re going to pay for that,” she spat.

 

Before the Trooper could make one foul move towards Rey, his back was against the wall. 

 

His hands scratched at his throat and he was gagging, choking. Rey turned to see Ben, with his hand raised in the air and clenching ever tighter as the man’s struggle came to a finite halt. His eyes felt unrecognizable to her at that point.

 

Rey was horrified and shocked at the sight, and when the Trooper finally stopped resisting, Ben’s hand fell to his side and the limp body rolled to the ground.

 

She didn’t question though, not for one second, limping to his side and grabbing his uninjured shoulder.

 

“Are you alright?” She sniffled, tears forming in her eyes once again. 

 

She was ready for him to be angry, to yell, to scream that he was right and that she’d jeopardized both of their lives. And she’d nod along because he’d saved her and he was right. 

 

“I’m fine,” he whispered. “Can you walk?”

 

“I… I can limp,” she sputtered.

 

Ben stared at her, hesitating, before he put his good arm under her knees and his injured arm under her back, sweeping her into his arms.

 

“Hey!” Rey cried, her hands flying to his chest.

 

“It’ll be faster this way. You’re really hurt.”

 

“Ben, your arm will get worse if you carry me the whole way,” she protested. 

 

“Rey.” Ben’s voice was stern in her ear and she readied herself for him to explode his anger onto her. “Let someone help you, now and then.”

 

He walked her in silence to the rendezvous point, the moon dusty in the sky and the semblance of the morning on the horizon. She eventually leaned her head onto his chest and let the events of the night unravel in her mind. 

 

She sobbed. She thought her well of tears had dried up but, it seemed there was more still.

 

He held her a little closer to his body while she did. 

 

“I’m so sorry,” she wailed. “You were right and I put you in so much danger. I can’t tell you how sorry I am,” she buried her face against him.

 

“What’s done is done,” he whispered. 

 

“I’m just the worst. I jeopardized the whole mission and almost got us both killed. And I wasn’t even able to see my friend. His mother turned me--us--in. And my hearts just... so shattered. And I can’t imagine how disappointed your mother will be. And I-I’m so sorry.”

 

Ben stopped walking, just for a moment, and Rey peeked her tear and snot streaked face out from his chest to find his eyes. 

 

“All things come to an end, Rey. You can’t change whats been done. But you can learn from it.”

 

“Why aren’t you yelling at me? I disobeyed your mother, you, and got you injured. Why aren’t you angry?”

 

Ben sighed and realized that she was, indeed, as stubborn as his mother had led him to believe.

 

“I  _ am _ angry, Rey.” He continued his walking. “I’m angry that I let you walk away. I’m angry that it took me twenty minutes to realize I should’ve followed you from the beginning. I’m angry that your shoulder is cut and that your back could be broken in several places. I’m angry that you saw me take that Trooper’s life in…  _ that  _ way.” 

 

And she’s reminded of how his eyes had looked so cold and distant, choking that man and taking his life. 

 

“Don’t blame yourself,” Rey rubbed her snot onto her arm wraps. “I caused all of this mess.” 

 

“Well,” he almost chuckled. “Now we’re even. You saved me, I saved you.”

 

They traveled in silence for quite some time, Ben’s breath becoming labored as her weight finally took a toll on him. 

 

“Ben, let me walk. We’re nearly there and you’re just exhausted.” 

 

Ben conceded and set her on her feet, wrapping one of her arms around his shoulders to help steady her walking.

 

After another steady mile of trekking through the sand, Rey started to see several heads forming in the distance.

 

“Oh my gods, Ben, is that them?”

 

They quickened their pace at the sight of the group.

 

“Oh my gods.” Rey’s heart beat faster and faster, and she could make out Rose Tico’s signature hairdo.

 

A somber laugh filled her chest.

 

“Rose! Rose Tico!”

 

The group finally noticed the tarnished pair and started running for them.

 

Finally, Rey saw him. 

 

“Finn?” her heart seemed to stop beating.

 

Her arm slunk off of Ben’s shoulders and she started limping towards her friend, who had seen her too, and took off towards her.

 

“Rey!”

 

She fell into his arms and the force of it sent them both falling into the sand.

 

“You’re alive!” Her arms wrapped around him tightly and a new wave of tears hit her, this time out of joy.

 

“You’re hurt!” Finn cried. “What happened?”

 

“I-I went to find you! It wasn’t... the mission but I went to your house! Your mother called the Troopers and I-I could’ve died but Ben--”

 

And suddenly she remembered Ben, who had no emotional reunion with any of these people, and was staring frigid holes at the back of her head.

 

“--Ben saved my life. I had no idea you’d be here, waiting with the rendezvous group.” 

 

They laughed and hugged once more before standing to their feet, and Finn wrapped her arm around him so she could stand. 

 

“Ahsoka, you’ve had the Force all along?” Rey wiped a tear from her eyes and smiled.

 

“Yes,” she smiled sadly. “Which is why we need to get out of here.”

 

Rose and Paige had surrounded Rey with hugs and warm sentiments. Rey reached into her pocket and turned the beacon back on. 

 

The sun was beginning to climb into the horizon, and hope had begun to flood her heart.

 

______________________________         ♜       ______________________________

 

“How  _ could _ you let this happen, Ben?”

 

Somehow, Leia had also placed all the blame onto her son.

 

Once they’d returned from their mission (successfully, might she add,) Rey had instantly been delivered to a torso-length tank of bacta fluid for healing. She didn’t know how long she’d have to stay under constant watch, but she was growing itchy to catch up with her friends. 

 

Leia and Ben had accompanied her to the sickbay to insure her lifeline.

 

“General Organa, this was my fault completely,” Rey cried weakly.

 

“My son knew exactly to follow you no matter what and protect you with his life.”

 

“He did protect me. He  _ saved _ my life. I’d be dead without him.”

 

Ben silently ran a hand through his hair, and it seemed that stress coursed through his veins like blood. Leia didn’t seem to notice his severe shoulder injury. 

 

“General, I risked the mission on a whim. Please let me take the blame for this. Ben is innocent and the true victim here.”

 

Leia’s eyes turned to Rey and they were a scalding shade of displeasure. Rey suddenly regretted ever opening her mouth.

 

“Both of you are suspended from training until you can get your heads on straight and learn to  _ follow orders!” _

 

Leia stomped out of the sickbay and Rey’s eyes moved to Ben’s stoic face.

 

“Can we get some help with his shoulder?” She called to the nurses.

 

While several alien nurses tended to Ben’s shoulder, their eyes stayed on each other. 

 

“...Have I mentioned how deeply sorry I am?” Rey sighed, a migraine building in her temples.

 

“You’re the one who can’t move from the tank. I’m fine.”

 

“Still,” Rey rolled her eyes at his endless martyrdom. “I’m the reason either of us is hurt. I want to make it up to you,”

 

“You don’t have to do that,” Ben frowned, wrinkles tracing his forehead.

 

“For me, so I can get rid of this terrible guilt in my chest. Please.”

 

Ben flinched as the nurse pinched his injury with a needle full of bacta. 

 

“Fine, for your own vanity.”

 

Rey breathed a sigh of happiness and relief.

 

“How should I? Make it up to you I mean.”

 

Ben shrugged.

 

“I figure you’d have that all worked out.” 

 

Rey smiled and started unpacking all the events from yesterday.

 

“Maybe I’ll convince your mother it was all my fault so you can continue training.”

 

Ben shook his head.

 

“She won’t go for it. Besides, I don’t care what she thinks on the matter. She’s lucky we’re even alive.”

 

Rey paused and lost herself in thought. After a moment of silence and Ben forgetting to carry the conversation, Rey ‘s curious nature peaked once more.

 

“Ben? Why does… your mother care so much about me? I mean, you’re her son. Yet she yelled at you because I was injured. I mean she didn’t even seem to notice your arm was about fall off.”

 

“Don’t be dramatic,” Ben grinned charmingly, although sadness layered behind it. “Rey, you’re… just very important to her, okay?”

 

“Okay,” Rey rolled her eyes, “but  _ why? _ Set, Calix, Qri, Kaya, Serif, and now Ahsoka… Whats so great about me?”

 

The nurses finished wrapping Ben’s arm in gauze so he gingerly took a seat next to Rey’s bed.

 

“She thinks you’re the chosen one. That’ll defeat the Third Order.”

 

Rey blinked. Then raucously laughed, causing her stomach to cramp painfully.

 

“Me? Why me?”

 

Ben sighed.

 

“Darkness rises, and light to meet it. My mother assumes that as the Supreme Leader grows stronger in the dark side of the Force, his conqueror in the light will also grow.” 

 

“But… why does she think it’s me? What about you or Calix? You two are the strongest Force wielders I’ve seen!”

 

“Rey,” Ben sighed deeply. “You are… a raw power. Untrained, yes, but stronger than you know. And with proper training, you’ll outdo us all in no time. I’m already seeing it in just physical combat.”

 

“You must be stronger than me,” Rey scoffed. “No doubt in my mind.”

 

“Maybe,” Ben yawned. “Get some rest, Rey. Tomorrow, we have a whole suspension to deal with.”

 

“You mean grounding,” Rey smiled, turning to her nurses. “When do you think I’ll get out of this tank, ma’am? Hello?”

 

The alien speaks a foreign language, but luckily Rey was well versed. 

 

“She says a week,” Rey groaned. 

 

“Enjoy your vacation,” Ben chuckled. 

 

As he walked out of the room, her eyelids became heavy and she succumbed to sleep.


End file.
